U.S. state attorneys general sue Purdue Pharma over opioid epidemic

NEW YORK (Reuters) – Several U.S. state attorneys general on Tuesday announced lawsuits against OxyContin maker Purdue Pharma LP, accusing the company of fueling a national opioid epidemic by deceptively marketing prescription painkillers to generate billions of dollars in sales.

FILE PHOTO: Bottles of prescription painkiller OxyContin made by Purdue Pharma LP sit on a shelf at a local pharmacy in Provo, Utah, U.S., April 25, 2017. REUTERS/George Frey

The attorneys general of Nevada, Texas, Florida, North Carolina, North Dakota and Tennessee separately said the company had violated state consumer protection laws by falsely denying or downplaying the risk of addiction while overstating the benefits of opioids.